WASHINGTON-The public-safety members of the Consensus Plan coalition to solve the 800 MHz interference problem upped the ante by delivering a letter to the White House asking President George W. Bush to support its solution.
“Two years is too long, Mr. President, for the nation’s emergency responders to wait for governmental leadership in eliminating this problem. The Consensus Plan offers the Federal Communications Commission a complete solution to commercial/public-safety interference at no cost to the taxpayers. We stand united with public-safety professionals around the country in asking for your support in this matter. The time is now for decisive FCC action supporting our emergency responders and assuring them the reliable mobile communications necessary to do their jobs and protect our homeland, and we ask for your support in urging the commission to bring this proceeding to a conclusion,” wrote Vincent Stile, president of the Association of Public-safety Communications Officials; Chief Joseph Polisar, president of the International Association of the Chiefs of Police; Sheriff Wayne V. Gay, president of the National Sheriffs’ Association; and Chief L. Ernie Mitchell, president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
The letter was delivered to the White House and the FCC on Wednesday and released at a press conference on Thursday.
“The growing problem of public-safety mobile communications being interfered with by commercial wireless systems places our nation’s emergency first responders and the American public at grave risk,” according to the letter. “This dangerous situation requires your immediate attention.”
The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
At the press conference, Harlin McEwen, retired chief of police for the city of Ithaca, New York, and chairman of the technology committee of the International Association of the Chiefs of Police, said that law-enforcement advocate John Walsh had taken an interest in the issue and that a segment for Walsh’s TV show, “America’s Most Wanted” was scheduled to air last Saturday. FCC Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy gave a long interview for the segment. The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, which is leading the effort against the Consensus Plan, was not approached about participating in the segment, said CTIA spokesman Travis Larson.
The FCC is stalling a decision because it is letting Nextel Communications Inc.’s opponents bring up non-relevant issues, charged various participants in the press conference.
But John Muleta, chief of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, told RCR Wireless News that the commission is not stalling. It is going through a methodical process of evaluating each of the issues that have been raised as the agency has tried to solve the interference problem.
“It is a puzzle,” said Muleta. “This is not about the Consensus Plan; this is about the FCC’s plan. We have to make sure that the FCC’s plan is solid.”
Muleta’s spokeswoman mirrored that thought following the public-safety press conference. “I am disappointed that they are painting this as purely a battle of corporate interests. It is much more complex,” said Lauren Kravitz Patrich, spokeswoman for the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. “It is the subject of debate and discussion every day.”
While the press conference and letter was billed as a “public-safety” effort, Stiles acknowledged that Nextel paid for the event and other lobbying efforts through a public-relations firm.
“We have provided public-relations support to the public-safety advocates of the Consensus Plan in support of our partnership,” said Nextel spokeswoman Leigh Horner.
The Balanced Approach Plan advocates were ready to react, standing in the hall outside of the public-safety press conference to pass out their own press release.
“When a car’s headlight goes out, it’s time to replace that headlight. But the Consensus Plan sees a broken headlight and wants to replace the whole car-with a more expensive model that won’t be delivered for over three years and won’t run properly when it gets here. Public safety shouldn’t have to wait that long and deserves better than that,” said Jill Lyon, of the United Telecom Council. CTIA and UTC, which represents utilities, are the main entities behind the Balanced Approach Plan.
The Consensus Plan would split the 800 MHz band into two parts-one for cellularized systems and one for non-cellularized systems. The most controversial aspect of the plan is that Nextel would receive 10 megahertz of spectrum in the 1.9 GHz band (1910-1915-1995 MHz). To sweeten the pot, Nextel has agreed to pay $850 million to relocate incumbents in the 800 MHz band.
The Balanced Approach proposal calls for timely resolution of current interference at the expense of the interferor, coupled with technical rules, notification and coordination procedures to prevent new interference.
